Bill on governor's desk provides flexibility to close facility on one weekday to open on weekends

Published 12:20 am, Monday, August 1, 2011

The governor has not indicated whether he will sign or veto the measure, which was drafted with the support of the State Education Department and local legislators. They say it would grant needed "flexibility" that would allow the department to keep the Cultural Education Center -- the white marble building across Madison Avenue from Empire State Plaza that houses the library, museum and archives -- open both weekend days. It was shuttered on Sundays at the start of the year.

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Here's a chart from the State Education Department, showing average daily attendance at the New York State Museum in 2010. The chart is broken up to reflect the months when school is in-session versus not. During summer months, attendance is lowest on Sundays and highest on Fridays. During the winter and spring, so far, attendance spikes on Saturdays and is second-highest on Sunday.

June, July, Aug Jan -- May, Sept. (no Feb)

Monday 2202 1567

Tuesday 2072 1567

Wednesday 2282 1663

Thursday 2091 1486

Friday 2324 1953

Saturday 1689 2388

Sunday 1646 2205

"This bill would give the power to close one of the weekdays in order to keep the weekends," explained Assemblyman Jack McEneny, D-Albany.

According to Tom Dunn, a spokesman for the Education Department, there is a state statute -- first enacted in the 1830s -- that dictates the library's operating hours. It was last amended in the 1890s, and mandates that the library be open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. At that time, McEneny added, the library primarily serviced the needs of the state Legislature.

The library added Saturday hours this past October. Its collection contains volumes on New York history, as well as microfilm records of newspapers dating to the 19th century -- useful tools for even casual researchers.

But the old law created a new problem when the Education Department, forced by budgetary concerns to lay off 26 staffers in the Office of Cultural Education, considered paring facility hours. They save the most money by completely shuttering the building -- no need for security, or cleaning, etc. -- for an entire day, but it was only possible to do that on a day the library wasn't required to open.

That left the weekends. During winter and spring, when school is in session and the climate can be sour, attendance spikes on weekends. Sunday closely trailed Saturday. In the summer months, weekdays see more activity. Sunday it was.

Several neighborhood leaders and even Gov. David Paterson, who presided over them, lamented the Sunday closures. Under the bill, sponsored by Sen. Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga and Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, D-Queens, the library still must remain open eight hours a day, five days a week, but the Board of Regents could choose exactly when.

"Flexibility will keep the library open but allow the Regents to decide which days are most useful for the public," says the bill's supporting memo. "It is important that New York open its resources such as the state museum and state library to allow the public the best opportunity to use them. The public is more likely to visit the museum and use the library when they have the time to do."

Dunn did not comment on whether the Regents might move toward a weekday closure. He said the department supports the bill.

Cuomo is still reviewing the measure, his spokesman said. The governor must sign or veto it by Wednesday.

"I recognize it's not the most important thing in the world, but there are many people from this region and others who utilize the library for both research and other needs," said McDonald. "It's important we help them access it."